Retractable window enclosure



Nov. 6, 1956 Filed June 1'7, 1952 RETRACTABLE WINDOW ENCLOSURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 z 40 0 -46 35 Q4 4 1 T INVENTOR. Roerl Pl'lcofj w/aw,

ATTO

Nov. 6, 1956 R. PlTCOFF 2,759,491

RETRACTABLE WINDOW ENCLOSURE Filed June 17, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7a WINVENTOR.

Brier/1 125017 United States Patent 015cc 2,769,491 Patented Nov. 6, 1 956 1 2,769,491 RETRACTABLE WINDOW ENCLOSURE Robert Pitcolf, New York, N. Y., assignor to Epoch Products Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application June 17, 1952, Serial No. 293,926 11 Claims. (Cl; 160-23) My invention relates to a rectractable or rollaway window enclosure such as a screen or storm window. The enclosure is particularly useful in the home, being designed for installation on the inside of a window casing as a permanent fixture. Broadly, it comprises a web, either of screening or flexible transparent material, held on a roll mounted at the top of the casing, and means for retaining the unrolled web across the window opening.

Present standards for a commercially acceptable unit of this type are quite rigid. It must be easy to install in the average window without any, or at least only minor, alteration to existing structure. In addition, the components should be adaptable within limits to various sizes of windows. Also, the design has to blend with the original appearance without materially reducing the size of the window opening.

For economy the enclosure must be simple yet sturdy and should possess a minimum number of parts requiring assembly. Any moving parts should resist wear and be able to function properly even after long usage.

Furthermore, an effective and easily operable mechanism is needed to hold the web securely across the Window opening. Another desirable feature is to be able to replace a screen web with a storm window covering so that the unit is useful both in winter and summer.

Accordingly, it is among the objects of my invention to provide a window enclosure having the foregoing qualities. Another object is to provide a latching mechanism which simultaneously holds the web down at the bottom of the window and retains the edges against slipping open. A further object is to provide a simple and inexpensive latching mechanism with durable construction and positive in its latching action throughout the life of the enclosure unit. A still further object is to provide a window enclosure having interchangeable screen rolls and stormwindow rolls. Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, the combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a perspective view, partially broken away, of a double-hung window with a retractable enclosure mounted inside the casing and having a screen web fully unrolled; V

Figure 2 is an enlarged view taken along line 2-2 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a broken sectioned view similar to Figure 2 with the screen retracted;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view, partially broken away, taken along line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is an enlarged view taken along line 5-5 of Figure 2;. I

Figure 6 is a fragmentary exploded view, partially broken away, of the housing and roll of the enclosure shown in Figure 1; V

Figure 7 is a fragmentary view, partially broken away,

similar to Figure l, showing'another embodiment of the window enclosure with the web retracted;

Figure 8 is a slightly enlarged view taken along line 8-8 of Figure 7;

Figure 9 is an enlarged broken front elevational view, sectioned and partially broken away, of the web and housing shown in Figure 7;

Figure 10 i a view taken along line 10-10 of Figure 9; p a

Figure 11 is a front elevational view, partially broken away, of the web and housing shown in Figure 7 removed from the window casing; and

Figure 12 is a view taken along line 12-12 of Figure 11.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

In one embodiment of the invention, a web of screen wire or flexible transparent material is held on a roll contained in a housing. The housing is attached to the top of a window casing and has a free end of the web extending through a slot in its lower side, the free end having a stiffening bar attached thereto for grasping and unrolling the web. The web unrolls with its edges extended into and guided by slots in a pair of side rails disposed on each side of the casing below the housing. A latching mechanism located within each side rail hooks the stiffening bar at the bottom of the window when the web is fully unrolled and at the same time automatically pinches the edges of the web at various points against the inside walls of the side rails. In this way the web is positively retained and encloses the Window.

Retraction of the web is simple, because the roll is provided with a winding spring like the one ordinarily used on a window shade roll. The roll automatically retracts the web when the stifiening bar is unhooked from the latching mechanism because the mechanism releases the edges of the web at the same time.

Another embodiment of the invention uses a similar side rail and latching mechanism, but the housing containing the web roll is removable as a separate unit. This is more versatile because a screen may be installed for the summer and be replaced by a storm window unit in the winter.

Referring now to Figure 1, a double-hung window 13 has disposed within its inside casing 14 a window-covering assembly 15. The assembly comprises a web 16 of screen wire spanning window 13 between a pair of side rails 17 and 18, and a housing 19 at the top containing a roll 20 (Figure 2) to which the upper end of the web is fixed. The web is retained at the bottom and along the sides by a latching mechanism 21 which is described later in detail.

Housing 19 (Figures 3 and 6) is conveniently made of sheet metal or the like formed into an unclosed rectangular box 22 with a longitudinal slot 23 along the lower back edge. In fabrication, the housing stock is cut to length to accommodate a given window width, and a suitable roll 20 carrying a web 16 is then inserted therein. Roll 20 is made similarly to a window shade roll with a square trunnion 24 (Figure 6) projecting from one end associated with a rewind spring mechanism 20. The roll is held centrally of housing 19 by its trunnions on each end fitting into square holes 25 in a pair of caps 26 and 27 (Figure 1) that enclose the housing. Caps 26 and 27 have a peripheral flange 28 to fit over the ends of housing 19 and short tabs 29 extending from the lower corners through which housing 19 is fastened to the top of casing 14 by screws 30. The free end of web 16 projects from slot 23 of housing 19 and is pinched be tween a two-piece stiffening bar 31 (Figures 1 and 3) which is wider than slot 23; Stiifening bar 31 has n? usage side slipping, and in fact, force exerted against thefbody notches 32 (-Figure4)--in each end,- a -folded resilient strip 33 along its lower edge, and a handle 34. This completes the housed Web roll.

-Adjacentheusi'n'g -I9,-"an'd extendi vertieally meant side of window casing -14,-=are a pair of-side'rails 17 and '18} each shaped. insection-like. the the housing, with ,four sides and'a slot 35 (Figure 5) along the inside back edgeI Slot; 35 broadens'at the bottom into anopening Mil-Figure 1 -Sid'erails 1-7and l8-fit-flush against the bottom of housing 19 inside tabs 2 .9 and against-the vertical sides of casing-'14, with their slots 35 opening into slot 23 of the housing. In this way the edges ofi web 16 and stiifening bar 31=slide withinand are guided by rails 17- and '18when the webis-unroHed. v a

A latching mechanism 2 1- (Figure 1)''- is enclo'sed in each: side -=rail-, and since they are identical, only-the one handle 34 is released theweb will be -l'e1'0lled by spring in side rail 18 will be 'described- The mechanism in cludes a long, vertical? l'atch bar 37 (Figure-2) running nearly the lengthuof-s'ide .rail 18,.- with' an integralhook 381atthe bottom projecting horizontally toward backwall 39 of. the side. rail." .A plurality ot-rectangular tabs -40 (Figures 2'andn5). are journ alledw between opposite side walls-41 .and 142.,in. spacedfrelationship-io one another bylz-pins 43:- extending..through--holes v44. .Pins: 43 are actually... small. head, nailspassingthrough-a hole .45 in eachlah wand driven into casing-14l-toserve the dual purposes ofv attaching .side .rail 18-to;window casing .14 and;pivotally mounting tabs 4Q within the'zsiderail. .Tabs

4,0 are tapered toward each end.- {Iheend onithewindow side has a. knife edge 46 with .sawte'eth, while the opposite;end- 47 has; a, U-shaped-cutout .portionAS through which the shankflof latch bar.137' pas'seg. Anotherpin 49 ;extend's through a second hole 5Q in the tab and latch bar to pivotally' connect; the ,two.-. sWeightsofthdmembersand; pivot points are proportioned so; thatlatchbar 37,;s ount rw ghsr a1ltabsn40 tor-hold the e edges normal 2 OI ret teds sh n ig'ure 3, l

n -.2 spa e b we b kiwa le-w fqr the free passage of. the-edge ofweb 16. fl'he. distances,ofknifeedge's 16 from pins 43 slightly exceed the separation-of pins 43 frqmb k we l 3. i o de i h tls it dgesAsiief. th

i ab? ma be niyctedimq pos ion. ton nch. and hold, the

thebdttonisof. the side, rails and tlier i s drawnftoward.

the operator to 'pass its notches}! hdQksQS of latch bars 37, this curving the bottom 'por ion 52 (Figure 2) of web 16, awayfrom back wall 3 9'. Theh ooked position mayibefelt during operationon belb servcd s cppr n ted w th 7 a spring-rolled Web 57 that is journalled through square rails 72.,and 73 (Figure 7.) fastened vertically within. casing 53. They are like side rails 17 and. '18 .used forv enclosurel5, (Figure 1), and have the. same latching: 'mechanism 74 asmechanism 21 inside and a longitudinal slot. 75 (Figures 7 and..8) aligned under slot 66itogre- V, ceive the edge of the web. ,Here, however, the side rails through openings -36.' Ha'ndle 3.41s then released 0 i allow spring loaded r011 v2,0 to lake up the slackinw'eb" 16 andjthenjpull up onlatch b s,37,., throu h stiffening }.bai 31 until tabs 40 swing counterclockwise as, shown in Figure 2, into' engagement withthe edges of the web.

Now web 16 is held firmly at the trip; and bottom and at several points. along each side and will not come loose or leave a gap at the sides of-the window during ordi- The saw. teethon tabs. 4O' 'guardagainst lient strip 33 closes the gap at the bottom to complete the seal.

, Retractionofthe equal' e asep and e-3. g s yvb h e y e-r eree H .Q9 ,1- allow latch bars 37 to drop down to their normal posi tion swinging tabs 40 free of the web. Then when 7 t st ffe n f ar; 3 f

notched ends of web" 16.; really tightensii-thei'grip, of tabs 40 because latchbars37 are thereby urgediipwardlyf; Folded resi roll 20. The retractable web can therefore be'operated up or down with equal convenience.

Though latching meclianisii 21 is assembled with latch bar 37 pivoted atfone .end' of tabs 4%,L1this construction obviously could -be altered in'a manner not shown by attachingrlatch bar, 37. near the, center edema and journalling the tabs at ends '47. Then' th'r latchbar would .counterweigh knife edges 46 downwardlyfiin the] normal position and would lift them against web 16 upon. being elevated. Either arrangement serves the purpose. a L .The enclosure just described is. a permanent installation awindow frame. In anotherembodiment of my' invention, shown in Figures 7- 12, I provide a retractable window enclosure witha removable web. Re-

ferring to Figure 7, a Window casing 53 ,hasifiiiedto its 7 upper inside corners a pair of brackets 54 (Figure 9) on which is slidably mounted a web unit 55 constructed generally like the one previously. described. Theweb unit comprises a box-likehousing 56 (Figure 8,) surrounding holes 58 (Figure 7)' in the ce'nter of ,caps 59 covering eachv end; Each cap 59 hasa peripheral flange 60..t0 cover the end of housing 56, and the upper outside corner and an adjacent section of housing'56'have a rectangular cutout portion. 61 (Figures 10-12) to provide an over-i hang 62; Each bracket 54 is secured to the inside cor nor of window casing 53 by screws 63 (Figures 9 and 10) lextending through a rectangular baseportion 64. 3A

rectangular flange 65 integral with the bottom edge of base portion, 64 extends toward'the center of the window framenvhereby the pair of flanges 65 on .the twobrackets 54 serve as a shelf onto which overhangs 62 of-housing, 56 slide 'to detachably secureweb unit 55 to window casing 53. The. lower, outsidecorner of housing 56 has 7, a longitudinal slot 66 (Figure 8) for the passage offree end 67 .ofthe web,- and this free end is equipped with a stiflening bar .68 having notched ends. 69 (Figure 7), a handle, 70, and' a resilient take-up, strip 71, to complete theunit assembly.

This window enclosure likewise includes a'pairlofhside leave a gap 76 (Figure 7) below web unit 55 to accomodate stiffening rod 68 as 'theweb unit is moved'onand' off brackets 54.: To enclose, thewindow, Web unit 55 isslippedin. place and stiffening strip 68 isthreaded'down slots in each ,side raiL Then the web from roll 5.7, may be fully extended and locked. 'at the bottom and along, the sides as withassembly 15 in Figure 1...

The features just'described make it possible to use a screen on the window in thesummer and a storm Window 7 in the winter, both employing the same brackets and side rails that are permanently secured to the casing. 1 Either of .two constructions are availablefor this purpose. In

one, two units 55 are supplied, one containinga rolled screen andthe other a flexible transparent material suit-' able as a storm window covering. j The one is, of course;

stored while the other is in'use.

7, 11 .1. t e second o struc n, n y w o l fi i changed, making it possible to use the same housing;56'

and caps 59. This.exchange,is accomplished; simply by taking a cap 59 ofione end, sliding out the web roll, and inserting the other'type, roll, using care to thread :free; end 67 through slot 66 of the housing. In these two ways I- provide an all-season retractable window enclosure that fulfills; the objects previously setforth.

Since certain changes may be made in the above st u fie anddi -rem em d ments q 1 atea could be made without departing from the scope thereof,

it is intended that all matter contained in the above de--- scription or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

In certain claims I refer to a retractable window screen. By this expression I means to include screening, flexible transparent material, and other materials suitable for a retractable window covering, Whether removably or permanently mountable within a window casing.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A latching mechanism for a retractable window screen comprising, in combination, an elongated latch bar for a spring roller screen, a plurality of tabs pivotally attached to said latch bar in spaced relationship to one another, means for pivotally attaching each of said tabs to the side of a window casing at a point removed from its point of attachment to said latch bar, said latch bar counterweighing said tabs, and means at the bottom of said latch bar for releasably engaging the free lower end of the extended upwardly-urged screen whereby said latch bar is lifted and automatically swings said tabs into pinching engagement with the longitudinal edge of said screen.

2. A latching mechanism according to claim 1 in which each tab is pivotally attached near one end to the latch bar and is pivotally attached near its center to the side of the window casing.

3. A latching mechanism according to claim 1 in which the tabs are generally rectangular and taper to a knifelike edge along the side which engages the window screen, said knife-like edge being provided with saw teeth.

4. A latching mechanism for a retractable window screen comprising, in combination, an elongated latch bar for a spring roller screen, a plurality of generally rectangular tabs each pivotally attached near one end to said latch bar in spaced relationship to one another, means for pivotally attaching each of said tabs near its center to the side of a window casing, said latch bar counterweighing said tabs, and means at the bottom of said latch bar for engaging the free lower end of the extended upwardly-urged screen whereby said latch bar is lifted and automatically swings said tabs into pinching engagement with the longitudinal edge of said screen, each of said tabs tapering to a knife-like edge along the side which engages said screen, and said knife-like edge being provided with saw teeth.

5. A retractable window screen comprising, in combination, a rolled web of screening mounted in a Window casing and spring-urged to a rolled position, and a latching mechanism afiixed to each side of said window casing below said rolled web, each of said latching mechanisms comprising an elongated latch bar, a plurality of tabs pivotally attached to said latch bar in spaced relationship to one another, means pivotally attaching each of said tabs to said window casing at a point removed from its point of attachment to said latch bar, said latch bar counterweighing said tabs, and means at the bottom of said latch bar for releasably engaging the lower end of said web when said web is extended, whereby said latch bar is lifted and automatically swings said tabs into pinching engagement with the adjacent edge of said web.

6. In combination, a spring-rolled web of screening, the free end of said web being provided with a stiffening bar having notched ends, a pair of hollow rails each of said rails having a longitudinal slot for the passage of the adjacent edges of said web and stiffening bar, said slot being widened at the bottom, and a latching mechanism in each of said rail-s, each of said latching mechanisms comprising an elongated latch bar having a hook at its lower end releasably engaging the adjacent notched end of said stiffening bar when said stiffening bar is drawn into the widened portion of said slot, and a plurality of tabs pivotally attached to said latch bar and journalled between opposite walls of said rail in spaced relationship to one another, with the journal and pivot points offset whereby said latch bar counterweighs said tabs, each of said tabs having a free end which automatically swings into pinching engagement with the adjacent edge of said web against the back wall of said rail when said hook is engaged in said stiffening bar notched end.

7. Side rail stock for a retractable window screen, comprising, in combination, an elongated, rectangular hollow tube having a longitudinal slot extending along one side for the passage of the edge of a screen, a plurality of tabs journalled between opposite walls of said tube in spaced relationship to one another, each of said tabs having a free end rotatable to pinch the edge of a screen against the inside of a wall of said tube, and an elongated latch bar pivotally connected to each of said tabs at a point removed from its journal point whereby said latch bar normally counterweighs said tabs and holds said free ends away from said inside wall.

8. A latching mechanism for a retractable window screen comprising, in combination, an elongated latch bar for a spring roller screen having a stifiening bar at the traveling end thereof, a plurality of tabs pivotally attached to said latch bar in spaced relationship to one another, means for pivotally attaching each of said tabs to the side of a window casing at a point removed from its point of attachment to said latch bar, said latch bar counterweighing said tabs, and a hook at the bottom of said latch bar for releasably engaging the stiffening bar of the extended upwardly-urged screen whereby said latch bar is lifted and automatically swings said tabs into pinching engagement with the longitudinal edge of said screen.

9. A latching mechanism for a spring roller screen having a stifiening bar at the traveling end thereof, comprising, in combination, a hollow side rail into which a longitudinal edge of the screen may extend, an elongated latch bar within said side rail, a plurality of tabs pivotally attached to said latch bar in spaced relationship to one another, means journalling each of said tabs within said side rail at a point removed from its point of attachment to said latch bar, said latch bar counterweighing said tabs, and means at the bottom of said latch bar for re leasably engaging the free lower end of the extended upwardly-urged screen whereby said latch bar is lifted and automatically swings said tabs into pinching engagement with the longitudinal edge of the screen.

10. A retractable window screen comprising a rolled web of screening, the free end of which is provided with a stifiening bar, means for mounting said rolled web in a window casing, means spring-urging said rolled web to a rolled positon, and side rails mountable in a window casing and providing guides for the edges of said web when said web is unrolled, said side rails including locking means engageable by said stitfening bar and normally in an unlocked position but movable by the force of said spring-urging means to lock the sides of the web when said web is unrolled and said locking means is caused to be engaged by the stitfening bar.

11. In a retractable window screen having spring means urging the screen to retracted position, side rail stock defining an elongated channel for guiding the edge of the screen during operation and including means adjacent said channel engageable by the traveling end of said screen for locking the edge of said screen, said locking means normally being in an unlocked position but movable to locked position by the force of said springurging means when engaged by said traveling end.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,545,283' Sacerdote July 7,' 1925 1,751,950 Sacerdote Mar. 25, 1930 1,810,848 Nye June 16, 1931 2,065,813 Lang Dec. 29, 1936 2,080,565 Feige May 18, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS 355,425 Germany June 26, 1922 

